GAMES ON JAN. 30, 2021
4 p.m.: Japan vs Thailand
AFC WOMEN’S CUP QUARTER FINALS
Australia vs South Korea
8 p.m.: China vs Vietna
10 p.m. Philippines vs Chinese Taipei
AS the Philippine women’s football team takes on Chinese Taipei tonight in the knockout stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a father of one of the players wishes the players to play hard and play smart.
Carlo Rodriguez a former footballer himself, and the father of midfielder Kathleen Camille Rodriguez urges the Filipinas to play hard and smart for our beloved country, the Philippines.
“The whole nation is behind you all of you, enjoy, play hard, play smart. Para sa mahal nating bayan Pilipinas,’’ he said in a brief message for the girls in an online interview with Pinoyfootball.com.
He also sent an inspirational massage to his daughter Camille in Chavacano, their local dialect in Zamboanga City where Carlo grew up.
“Este el hora para contigo y tuyo grupo. Juga con alegria y mira para cielo esta dia. Fly high high Mille.”(Google translation- “This is the time for you and your group (teammates). Play with joy and look to heaven this day. Fly high Mille.”)
The Filipinas must have read the mind of Carlo Rodriguez as they have been playing hard and smart from the beginning and hopefully will continue to do so against Chinese Taipei tonight in a very crucial match at the Shri Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, India.
A win will be historic for the Filipinas as they will automatically get a slot to play in the FIFA World Cup in New Zealand and Australia next year.
The victory will also put them into the semis and will become the first Philippine football team to advance to top four in a such prestigious tournament.
The Filipinas have shown the world how hard and smart they have been playing under their new head coach Allen Stajcic.
The Australian has inspired the Fiipinas by defeating Thailand in their opening game, 1-0 last Jan. 21, and Indonesia, 6-0 on Jan. 27 to secure their place in the knockout stage.
Their only loss was against the powerhouse Australia last Jan 24, 0-4. It was however a hard fought contest between the powerful Australians and the hard fighting Filipinas.
The Filipinas managed to hold the Australians, 0-0 at halftime only to crumble in the second half.
Despite of the setback the Filipinas have barged into the quarterfinals and will face the highly touted Chinese Taipei tonight.
All eyes will be on the Filipinas as they try to make history. If they win they will advance to the semis on Feb. 3 to face either South Korea or Australia and will make the entire country proud for advancing to the FIFA women’s World Cup next year in Australia and New Zealand.
Failure will not be an option but it will not be the end of women’s football program for the Philippines.
With new team manager Jeff Cheng at helm and with football parents like Carlo Rodriguez and players like Camille Rodriguez playing hard and smart, definitely women’s football will continue to flourish.(jackbiantan@yahoo.com)
